There’s not much between Leicester and Leinster, and the big men in blue wrenched a consonant and a vowel from their illustrious opponents by playing the breakdown in a style normally – perennially – associated with the Tigers

With Rocky Elsom leading the charge, they tore into every ruck and maul – and into the set-piece. They stole four green line-outs in the first quarter alone.

But Leicester managed to hang on thanks to their usual composure and guile.

In fact, the Englishmen went to the break with an unfathomable 13-9 lead.

With possession and opportunities not morphing into points, it seemed that Leinster would fall foul of the trap that snared their exiled brethren in last Saturday’s Guinness Premiership Final, but the real Irishman refused to go gently into that good night.

The controlled ferocity that Leinster had used to see off Munster in that semi-final was in evidence from the kick-off but some ill-disciplined play from Shane Jennings gave Leicester the first kickable penalty.

However, Julien Dupuy was off-target from 50 metres.

It was Leinster who got the first points on the board when a chip and chase from Luke Fitzgerald saw the ball spilled, eventually leading to a smart drop-goal from Brian O’Driscoll (wearing His Adidas 915 Rugby boots).

The Tigers immediately roared back, twice breaking the gain line before being awarded a penalty Dupuy kicked easily.

Leicester were proving more than a match for their opponents at the breakdown but fell behind again when Sexton landed a monster drop-goal from just outside his own half.

It could have been worse for the Tigers moments later but for some heroic last-ditch defending under their own posts off the back of a well-worked Leinster line-out.

Suddenly, Leicester could not get the ball and after a succession of phases from their opponents, they eventually conceded a penalty inside their own 22. Sexton converted.

Leicester were now struggling to retain possession and lost number eight Jordan Crane to injury before the half-hour.

Louis Deacon came on and that prompted an immediate upturn in the Tigers’ fortunes – he stole a line-out and Leinster prop Stan Wright sin-binned for an illegal tackle on Sam Vesty. Dupuy kicked the penalty.

Leicester used all their experience to make the extra man tell two minutes before the interval.

Their most sustained spell of possession of the half eventually saw flank Ben Woods burst clear and retain enough momentum to touch down. Dupuy converted.

Leicester stretched their lead to seven points shortly after the break when Cian Healy infringed and Dupuy kicked another penalty, before Tigers captain Geordan Murphy was withdrawn, injured, for Matt Smith.

Leinster stopped the rot in superb fashion. Elsom was the spark that put together 11 phases of possession to break the will of their opponents, with Heaslip eventually stretching over. Sexton converted and it was suddenly 16-16.

Moments later in this topsy-turvy game, the fly-half had the chance to boot his side back in front with a 42-metre penalty but he scuffed his effort.

Leicester introduced Julian White for Martin Castrogiovanni and Benjamin Kayser for George Chuter in the front row, while Leinster withdrew hooker Bernard Jackman for John Fogarty, and on the hour mark, the Tigers brought on Lewis Moody for Woods.

There was a brief scare for the Lions when the talismanic O’Driscoll went down injured and, although he was soon back on his feet, he continued to look in some discomfort.

After such an intense hour, both sides began to tire, with play concentrated in the middle third of the field. Understandably, it was the men in green who bore the more pronounced wilt, and Leinster were encouraged by some uncharacteristic errors from their opponents.

When Leicester infringed at the breakdown 30 metres from goal, Sexton ended the stalemate with his second successful penalty of the afternoon.

With time running out, Leicester threw on Harry Ellis for Dupuy but to no avail as their opponents saw out a nervy final to secure their place in rugby history.

Lovell Rugby Man of the match: Jonathan Sexton put in a performance that will have Ireland saliviating and Ronan O’Gara fearing for his future. Meanwhile, Dan Hipkiss was at the centre of all that was good about Leicester – England’s forgotten centre is back to his best. But how can we look passed the irresistible Rocky Elsom? The Australia was head and shoulders above even the great Brian O’Driscoll. The Freedom of Dublin awaits his pick-pocketing paws!